Ann Hartley - Childhood Links To Barwick

Why, you may ask, does Ann Hartley play her tennis at the Barwick in Elmet club rather than somewhere a little closer to home 5 miles away ?  Could it be the excellent playing surface which the club boasts or the friendly nature in which the game is played in Barwick ?  In fact, Ann's links to the village go back to her childhood.

Ann's father Maurice Wood, built and ran the convenience store in Barwick opposite the New Inn, in the 1950s.  Although the village did not have tennis courts at that time, as a child Ann was determined to play the game and so would sneak off from work on a Saturday morning to play on courts in Crossgates or at Tadcaster Grammar School where there was a big emphasis on tennis.  Like so many of us, once bitten by the bug, she has played the game throughout her life and in Ann's case has always returned to Barwick, introducing her son, Gary, to the club when he was young.

Tennis is just one aspect of Ann's very busy life.  In between the travelling she does, it seems like Ann will get involved in just about anything which will help her to keep fit, including golf, circuit training and dirty dancing (editor note:  I did not follow further lines of questioning in this respect).  Having worn herself out with all the keep fit activities, Ann will relax reading, cooking, walking, visiting the theatre or pottering about in her garden.

As to her music tastes, Ann likes to listen to George Michael, Amy Winehouse, Pet Shop Boys, Elton John, Take That and ELO; and a genre which she describes as 'cheese' - the sort of music which makes you get up and dance. We can imagine the scene, cheesy music at high volume blaring out from Ann's car (she loves her Audi TT) as she tours the cities of Europe.

One can tell that Ann is very proud of her three children, and rightly so when you hear of their achievements. Her eldest daughter, Joanna, who teaches in Bangkok has just completed a 6 hour triathlon there. Her next eldest, Fiona, who has been a member of the club in the past, now works in Hull as a Support Careworker and Special Constable, and her youngest, Gary, works as a press officer at the Royal Institute for the Blind.  Perhaps one day Ann's children will return to the area and join the Barwick in Elmet club, keeping up the family links with the village.

Ann has a position of great responsibility as Attendance Officer in a local high school.  All sorts of methods are employed to keep student absenteeism low, from the use of technology which results in automated text messaging to parents of absent children, to the offer of incentives to maintain 100% records of attendance.  Talking to Ann you can tell she is a real organiser so maybe we should ask her to arrange more social events at the club - perhaps an awayday trip to Scarborough or even an exchange with a tennis club in southern Spain, a favorite holiday destination for Ann.

From the way that she hesitates to find an answer to the question of remaining ambitions, you can tell that Ann has a full life. However, eventually she settles on two things, a night-time walk over Brooklyn Bridge in New York and clay pigeon shooting, although not necessarily at the same time.

 

Previous Player Profiles 

Stephen Reiss - Borg-Like Calmness on the Court

The next member under the spotlight is "Marathon Man" Stephen Reiss.  Here's a little insight into the player with Borg-like calmness when under pressure on the courts.

What is your first tennis memory?

People who know me know that my memory is not my best feature. I can remember how excited I was when I got my first tennis racket. I would have been about 8 or 9 I guess. My brother and I got our rackets at the same time from a small sports shop in High Wycombe, my hometown in Buckinghamshire. I went for a Dunlop, my brother a Slazenger. Both were wooden, of course, heavy, small-faced with a tiny sweet spot. I still have mine somewhere with its spring clamp to stop it warping. I absolutely loved it.

I can also remember being totally absorbed with watching tennis on television as a kid. Perhaps those were the glory years for tennis when it seemed gentler and more fun. Heroes for me were Rosewall (he always seemed to live in the shadow of Laver) and Newcombe. Australians ruled the tennis courts in those days, days when you had to be an amateur to play in the Grand Slam tournaments. 

What is your most embarrassing tennis memory?

I suppose you mean mine. I have a few for other people and I can't wait for you to ask Glyn the same question.

For me the most embarrassing memory was failing to turn up for the Club's men's doubles final a few years ago. I was partnering Keith and just totally forgot about it. The final was played a week later and we won it!

Who do you like watching now?

This is probably sacrilege but I don't really follow tennis any more. I love to watch it if it's on but don't plan my viewing around it like I did as a boy. I like Federer. I think it's because he reminds me of Borg who was one of my all time heroes. Both are calm even when under pressure, play the big points brilliantly and most of all have a complete game. I don't follow the women's game. What is the grunting all about by the way?

What are your other interests?

I like to keep fit. I normally go training in the gym a couple of times every week. I also like to run. In a typical week I'll run between 20 to 25 miles per week. When I'm training for a marathon that figure can go up to more than 45 miles per week. So far I have clocked up two marathons, Paris and Dublin. My PB is 3 hours 46 mins which I'm very proud of. I have run over a dozen half marathons and this is by far my favourite distance. I have lost track of the number of 10k's I've run. I'm only 15 seconds off breaking 44 minutes over this distance and I'm determined to beat this time in the next 12 months.

My overriding love is playing guitar. I started to learn just after my 40^th birthday. Aileen, my wife, bought me my first guitar. She'd caught me totally enraptured while I listened to someone playing guitar in the next mobile home to us on holiday in France. Playing guitar, for me, is the most relaxing pastime ever. Guitar heroes for me are James Taylor (beautiful voice and great songwriter too) and the God (Eric Clapton). I've seen both of them twice in concert and saw EC at Harewood House just a few weeks ago. A truly magical evening.

I now have 5 guitars and can't wait to acquire more in my dotage.

And finally, what one bit of advice would you like to pass on to your fellow club members?

I like the one that Glyn told me about yellow snow but I'll leave him to tell you. I work for the Environment Agency so my bit of advice is going to be 'green'. It is ...

Keep your tap turned off when brushing your teeth. Only turn it on to rinse your mouth. You can also save up to 8 gallons of water a day per person. That's a lot of water (and money) each year.

 

Keith Monkman - The Dropshot King

 

 

Opponents on the tennis court know all about Keith's dropshot, but what is behind the steely stare of one of our club's founder members ? Here are a few snippets to paint a picture for you.

 

Tennis for Keith began at the age of 14, having booked a court at Harehills Park, Leeds with some friends. He has played tennis at the Barwick club since it was founded in 1972 and has always been a prominent figure in the club's activities. His best tennis moment to date ? Not collecting titles in the Barston Ash men's singles, men's and mixed doubles tournaments, but rather winning the Barwick championship mixed doubles with his wife Val in 1979 of course. Keith's favourite player is Stephan Edberg (who also had a reasonable dropshot), closely followed by Roger Federer.

 

Keith has hidden talents as a snooker player. He is president of the Barwick Miners Institute and Snooker Club and has a top break of 53. His music tastes are varied but his preference is for classical with Tchaikovsky's 6^th Symphony topping his desert island discs selection. A keen pianist, Keith has 'wowed' his friends at social events with his skills on the ivories.

 

One of Keith's loves is to travel, see new places and dine out on good food. Despite his recent mishap in South Africa (rumour has it that the real story involved fighting off a half-starved lioness), Keith is already planning his next trip. Australia and New Zealand are next on the itinerary, but Keith says that it will be tough to match the beauty and magnificence of his favourite destination to date, Victoria Falls.

 

If there was one thing that Keith would like to see at the tennis club again, it would be a return to the days when the social side of the game was more prominent. Although he is by his own admission a competitive player, Keith enjoys a good get together, whether it be in the pub after a gruelling three set match or at club social events, such as the forthcoming American Tournament barbecue.

 

A medical consultation at the end of April will determine whether Keith's broken leg will keep him out of any of Barwick's league matches this season and we all wish him a speedy recovery. Until we next see his wisdom on the court, we will have to make do with his tip for the Wimbledon men's title - Djokovic, who at 5-1 with the bookies could be a good bet.